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Friday, October 3, 2014

UN report spotlights 'staggering' Islamic State atrocities in Iraq... "The group, which is fighting in Iraq and Syria, has carried out a wide range of atrocities, including mass executions, abductions, rape and other forms of sexual and physical violence against women and children"

9,347 Iraqi civilians had died in the conflict.

Another 17,386 had been injured.

As of last month, an estimated 1.8 million Iraqis have been displaced by the violence, according to the report.

"“The array of violations and abuses perpetrated by [Islamic State] and associated armed groups is staggering, and many of their acts may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.

Paulo Barrozo, a professor at Boston College and expert on international criminal law, said that what sets IS apart from other terrorist organizations is its sprawling territorial ambitions. While the Taliban’s brutal reign in Afghanistan was limited to a single country, IS has torn up international borders in its attempt to create an Islamic caliphate.

“They add a dimension of chaos and brutality to a region that’s already volatile and that’s in the best interest of no one,” he says. “The population there is hostage to their brutality.” "